iPhone

As my friend has provided updates on the use of his iPhone on his blog - http://techucation.tumblr.com/ - I figured I would provide an update on the use of my iPhone over the past 2 months.

Pros:

• While I have had people tell me to the contrary, I have been impressed with the battery life of my iPhone. On average I go 16-18 hours before charging and the battery still has life. I actually went nearly 36 hours one day before the phone died on me. (I just was curious how long it would last.)
• App Store - I have found the App Store not only entertaining, but also providing tools useful for my job. Ping Lite, Remote Desktop Lite and Google have all been useful during the course of my business day. I have also used apps such as Brain Tuner, Sudoku and iWant for entertainment value. The neatest app I have came across thus far was shown to me last week and I just couldn't wait to download it - Zippo Lighter.
• Keyboard - This was one of my initial concerns because of the keyboard being on the screen. However after a few days of typing and the phone starting to remember commonly used words I use - I was able to type as quickly as I used to on my Palm Treo 750.
• Maps/GPS - I have used this feature several times while navigating in Nashville, TN, and while visiting friends in TN a couple of weeks ago. I was impressed with accuracy of the GPS as well as the iPhones ability to provide accurate directions to my requested location. Forget my request for Tom Tom for Christmas.
• WiFi / 3G - When I use my phone connected to a WiFi (work, home, other location) or the 3G network (when I was in Nashville) - I could do anything (Safari, mail, iTunes, App Store, etc.) as quickly as I wanted to. This speed is as good as advertised. (See below for comments on the Edge network.)
  

Cons:

• Lacks of MMS messaging. I do find it inconvenient if I take photo and need to send it to someone - I have to use my email rather than text messaging.
  
• Edge Network - while I do not live in a 3G area - it is slow to use my Internet, App Store and impossible to use iTunes.
  
• Camera - I did expect a higher quality camera on the iPhone. While I am able to use this feature, I guess my expecations were for more megapixels.
  

Overall, this purchase has been one of best investments of the past few years. This phone is more than a phone - it is a tool that allows its owner to communicate, share, collaborate and create. The iPhone is the premier smartphone available on the market.

JDS | CIO

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